This article lists some of the best dark web websites you can visit securely. Some of these sites are very helpful (but unseen as Google doesn’t show them), while others are just for fun. The dark web is the unregulated part of the deep web, which encompasses all parts of the web not indexed by search engines. While the deep web comprises about 90% of the total web, the dark web makes up just a tiny fraction of the deep web total. Suppose you share your name, social security number, or any other personally identifiable information on any dark website.
How To Get On The Dark Web Safely (Extensive Tutorial)
Specialized search engines, directories, and wikis can help users locate the data they’re looking for. You can now safely browse dark web websites and hidden wikis, but if you plan to do anything more than that, you’ll need to take several precautions. If you plan to purchase on a dark net marketplace or dark web commerce sites, you’ll need to create a fake identity. Remember only to make purchases using digital currencies and never provide any online banking login details.
#1 Install A VPN
We’ll navigate this intricate maze with you, uncovering its secrets while ensuring your online safety. Dark web marketplaces offer a range of both legal and illicit goods. Here’s a look at several of the illegal items you can buy — with prices — courtesy of Privacy Affairs’s Dark Web Price Index 2023. By monitoring known dark web marketplaces, Avast BreachGuard will alert you immediately if and when your data is found.
Browse The Web More Safely
Tor users in the USA, in particular, may want to use a VPN, which will be faster and more reliable. Journalists and whistleblowers, including Edward Snowden himself, often use the dark web and Tor to exchange sensitive information. For instance, the Ashley Madison data dump was posted to a site only accessible to Tor users. Your information might be on the dark web if it was exposed in a data breach, sold, or stolen by hackers. To check, you can use dark web scanning or breach detection tools like Avast Hack Check or LifeLock Breach Detection to search for compromised data. If found, take immediate steps to secure your accounts and personal information.
- I2P uses one-way tunnels, so an eavesdropper can only capture outbound or inbound traffic, not both.
- Slide up to the “safest” level, and as well as those settings, JavaScript is disabled on all sites.
- Like I2P, Freenet is a self-contained network within the network that can’t be used to access sites on the public web.
- Moreover, the company also uses HTTPS and SSL encryption on the Onion site for extra protection.
Tor Over VPN Or VPN Over Tor? Dark Web Access Explained
Although data sent through Tor can’t be tracked or decrypted, your internet service provider and network administrator can still see that you’re using Tor. The VPN’s encryption will hide from your ISP the fact that you’re using Tor. After all, it’s much less popular, can’t be used to access normal websites, and isn’t as easy to use, among other disadvantages.
Malicious Software
They use a scramble naming structure that combines a string of letters and numbers to create URLs that are impossible to remember. If you’re intrigued and want a firsthand experience, follow this guide to learn how to access the deep web with an anonymizing browser. We’ll use the Tor browser for this guide, but any other browser that supports the Tor protocol will do. We check all comments within 48 hours to ensure they’re real and not offensive.
Use A Dark Web Search Engine
The dark web, a subset of the deep web, cannot be accessed with a regular browser. It hosts encrypted websites, often used for privacy, anonymity, or illicit activities. Tor uses DuckDuckGo as its default search engine, which is expected for a privacy-focused browser.
With this information, the ISP will likely know you’re on the dark web because Tor is mainly used for this purpose. You don’t want this suspicion because of the darknet’s reputation and notoriety. If the traffic passes through a Tor exit node run by a law enforcement agency, they will only see the IP address that the VPN assigned, not your real IP. As a result, it would be difficult to locate you or trace the dark web activity back to you. This adds an extra layer of protection to thwart tracking and monitoring in case the traffic passes through a compromised exit node.
In the summer of 2017, a team of cyber cops from three countries successfully shut down AlphaBay, the dark web’s largest source of contraband, sending shudders throughout the network. Be aware, however, that there are sites for absolutely everything, from the benign to the very illegal. There are some websites you can absolutely get in legal trouble for even visiting, so proceed with the utmost caution. In this guide, we’ll show you what you need to know about how to access the dark web and how to keep yourself safe while you use it. When you’re done surfing or shopping on the dark web, don’t forget to shut down Tails.
As an average Internet user, you may accidentally stumble upon such content. Your access to illegal content, even if it is unintentional, can violate laws in many countries. As dark web websites are not moderated, they can host a wide range of malware, such as ransomware, keylogger, and remote access Trojan. You can inadvertently download malicious software by visiting these websites, infecting your system.
If you accidentally end up on one of those pages, you may face legal charges should someone find out. To prevent these types of dangers, I recommend browsing the dark web with a direct goal in mind — research specific sites ahead of time and keep a list of links that you can trust. Due to the lack of regulations on the dark web, you are vulnerable to cyber threats any time you visit. These risks can be avoided when you are well-informed and know how to protect yourself against them. It routes all traffic through Tor, preventing IP leaks and offering stronger protection against tracking.
ZLibrary hosts free file-sharing access to academic texts, scholarly articles, and general-interest books. It often hosts copyrighted materials without permission, violating many countries’ copyright laws. Downloading or distributing such material is against the law and can have legal consequences. When you’re done, clear your browsing history, power down your machine, and ensure no traces of your session remain. For example, randomly clicking a link can land you in extreme content, such as child pornography, which is a serious criminal offense to access. You should review access to your camera, location, and microphone regularly to ensure no website has unnecessary permissions.
It has a large network of secure servers, the ability to keep connections private, and apps that are rich in security features. While connected through NordVPN, your internet traffic is protected using AES 256-bit encryption. NordVPN adheres to a strict no-logs policy, which has been twice verified by independent auditors. This allows you to use public WiFi privately and without fear of hacking. There’s no chance of your real IP address leaking, while it benefits from some of the fastest speeds on the market.
“A lot of people use it in countries where there’s eavesdropping or where internet access is criminalized,” Tiquet said. The terms “deep web” and “dark web” are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are not the same. Deep web refers to anything on the internet that is not indexed by and, therefore, accessible via a search engine like Google. Deep web content includes anything behind a paywall or requires sign-in credentials. It also includes any content that its owners have blocked web crawlers from indexing.
Using a privacy-focused operating system adds an extra layer of security when accessing the dark web. TAILS (The Amnesic Incognito Live System) is a portable OS that runs from a USB or DVD, leaving no trace on your device. It forces all connections through Tor by default, ensuring complete anonymity while automatically deleting all activity upon shutdown. Yes, we recommend that you always use a VPN if you’re accessing the dark web on your phone. The dark web is packed with potentially harmful content that puts you at risk, so a VPN is an important tool in keeping your identity and personal information safe. Therefore, it’s best to use a VPN no matter the personal device you’re using.
